Baptist church ordains openly gay man

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) - An eastern Louisville Baptist church hasordained an openly gay man as a minister with unanimous supportfrom church members. Highland Baptist Church on Sunday ordained Maurice "Bojangles"Blanchard, a local gay-rights advocate who started the church's gayand lesbian outreach group last year. Church Pastor Joe Phelps says ordaining Blanchard was "newterritory" for the church but in April it moved to support hisordination. The Fairness Campaign, a Louisville-based gay rightsorganization, hailed Blanchard's ordination as one of only abouttwo dozen at Baptist churches in the U.S. Highland Baptist, which is not a member of the Southern BaptistConvention, says on its website it is "open to anyone whoprofesses Christ as Savior." Blanchard is studying ministry at the Louisville Seminary.

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